Oar locks



Jan. 13, 1959 1 w, DOWNS 2,867,822 i OAR LOCKS Filed OCT.. 2, 1957 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY United .States v Patent 21,867,822 eee wel@ Lester W. Downs, Torrington, Conn. Application October 2, 1957, Serial No. 687,707 7 Claims. (Cl. 9,--24`)I This invention relates to new and useful improvements in oar locks, and particularly the invention concerns itself with an improved stop collar adapted for positioning on an oar to prevent the latter from sliding through the oar lock yoke.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved stop collar which may be quickly and easily applied to or removed from the oar without the use of any tools, and which is self-adjusting as to size so that it may be positioned at any desired point along the oar handle, regardless of variation in thickness of various different handles.

An important feature of the invention resides in making the stop collar in the form of an expansible and contractible ring-like body which is resiliently urged to its contracted position, whereby to frictionally grip the oar on which it is placed and sustain itself in a predetermined, fixed location thereon.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction and operation, in its weatherresistant and durable nature, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of an oar and oar lock, the latter being shown partly in section, illustrating the stop collar in accordance with the invention on the oar;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3 3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5-5 in Figure 3.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the numeral designates a conventional oar having a handle portion 10a provided withthe usual hand grip 10b, the oar 10 being disposed in the usual U-shaped yoke 11 of an oar lock assembly 12. As is customary, the yoke 11 is provided with a stern 13 rotatable in a bushing 14 mounted in the gunwale 15, as will be readily understood. The invention concerns itself with an improved stop collar which is designated generally by the reference numeral 16 and is positioned on the handle portion 10a of the oar 10 at the inside of the yoke 11, so as to prevent the oar from sliding through the oar lock.

The stop collar 16 comprises a radially expansible and contractible split ring-like body 17 which may be rnade of synthetic plastic or other suitable material. The opposing edges at the split of the body are indicated at 18,

it being understood that these edges are in abutment when the collar is not in use, but are spread apart when the collar is positioned on the oar, as shown.`

The body 17 is provided in onel side face v1.9gtl1e'reofwith a substantially'C-shaped groove 20, the ends 20a.of which are spaced from the split edges 18. A substan-- tially C-shaped spring 21` is mounted in the groove 20 in engagement with the inner wall 20b of .the'groove, the resiliency of the spring being such as to, exert radially inward pressure on the wall 20b and thereby urge the body to its ,contracted position.

The other side face,22 of the body 17 is provided` with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots 23 which communicate with the groove 20 as is, best shown .in Figure 5. The purpose of these slots is to render the body 17 more flexible and better able to expand and contract under the action of the spring 21.

The inner surface 24 of the body 17 is provided at its junction with the side face 22 with a bevelled edge 25, whereby to facilitate positioning of the body on the handle portion lila of the oar. Inasmuch as the handle portion of many oars is tapered, the inner surface 24 of the body may be tapered correspondingly to t the oar, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. On the other hand, the inner surface 24 may be without a taper, if so preferred.

In any event, when the invention is placed in use, the stop collar 16 is passed over the handle po-rtion 10a of the oar to the required extent until it is disposed at the oar lock yoke 11 and, by contacting the same, prevents the o-ar from sliding through the oar lock.

The passage of the collar over the oar handle is facilitated by the bevelled edge 25 of the body 17, it being understood that the side face 22 having the bevelled edge 25 is disposed toward the oar lock while the side face 19 with the groove 20 and spring 21 faces inwardly in the boat.

As the collar is passed over the oar handle, the body 17 is expanded against the resiliency of the spring 21, so that when the collar is in position, the spring urges the body 17 to its contracted position and into frictional gripping engagement with the oar. Thus, the collar is irmly sustained in a predetermined xed location on the oar, but may be readily removed therefrom when desired, by simply expanding the body 17 and withdrawing the same from the oar handle. It is to be noted that both installation and removal of the stop collar may be effected by hand, that is, Without the use of any tools.

The expansible and contractible nature of the stop collar permits the sarne to adjust itself to various thicknesses of oar handles. Moreover, if the collar is to be used on an oar of an exceptionally large thickness, the body 17 may be cut out as necessary to increase the diameter of the inside surfacev24. Alternatively, for use on oars of an exceptionally small thickness, the split edges 18 of the body may be cut away to permit a greater amount of contraction.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modications may be resorted to, within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A stop collar for oar locks, comprising an expansible and contractible ring-like body adapted to be positioned on an oar adjacent an oar lock, and a ring-like spring embedded in said body for urging the same to its contracted position whereby to frictionally grip the oar and sustain itself in a xed location thereon.

2. A stop collar for oar locks, comprising an expansible and contractible ring-like body adapted to be posi- Patented dan. 13.,` 1.9.5151.r`

tioned on anV oar adjacent an oar lock, said body being stantially annular spring mounted in said groove and urgv ing said body to its contracted position whereby to fric.

tionally grip the oar and sustain itself in a xed location i thereon.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein said body i is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots, whereby to facilitate expansion and contraction thereof.

' 4. A stop collar for oar locks, comprising a split ringlike body adapted for radial expansion and contraction i and for positioning on an oar adjacent an oar lock, said body being provided in one side face thereof with a substantially` C-shaped groove having its ends spaced from the split of said body, and a substantially C-shaped spring p mounted in said groove and urging said body to a contracted oar gripping position.

l provided with a substantially annular groove, and'a'fsub= 5. The device as dened in claim 4 wherein said body is provided-n the other side face thereof with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots communicating with said groove.

6. The device as defined in claim 4 wherein said body References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESk PATENTS Lindenbergeir i May 13, 1884 Fraser Apr. 13, 1937y 

